The latest Self Storage Association UK Annual Report, produced in partnership with Cushman & Wakefield, provides one of the most comprehensive overviews of the UK self-storage industry available anywhere in the world.

Drawing on operator surveys, customer feedback and public awareness research, the report paints a picture of an industry that continues to grow and evolve. While demand remains strong, operators are navigating new challenges around pricing, competition and changing customer expectations.

So, what are the key trends shaping the industry in 2026?

Revenue Pressure Is Emerging

One of the most notable findings from this year's report is the decline in revenue per square foot.

Revenue per square foot fell by 5.1%, from £28.87 to £27.40 excluding VAT.

At first glance, this may appear concerning. However, when viewed alongside occupancy data, it tells a more nuanced story.

Following the exceptional trading conditions experienced during and immediately after the pandemic, the market is continuing to settle into a more sustainable long-term position. As new facilities enter the market and competition increases, operators are placing greater emphasis on maintaining occupancy levels and attracting new customers.

In many cases, this may mean becoming more competitive on pricing than in previous years.

The data suggests that while demand remains healthy, operators can no longer rely solely on rising rates to drive growth.

Occupancy Has Found a New Normal

Occupancy levels continue to stabilise after the extraordinary highs experienced during the pandemic.

Industry occupancy peaked at 83.3% in 2021 before gradually easing to 80.0% in 2022, 75.9% in 2023 and 75.1% in 2024.

In 2025, occupancy settled at 74.5%.

While this represents a slight decline year-on-year, it is important to view the figure in context. Prior to the pandemic, occupancy levels in the mid-70% range were considered healthy across much of the industry.

Perhaps more encouraging is the performance of mature stores. Facilities that have not opened or expanded within the last four years recorded occupancy of 79.6%, up from 79.0% the previous year.

This suggests that established operators continue to perform strongly and that much of the pressure on overall occupancy figures is being driven by new supply entering the market.

New Facilities Continue to Enter the Market

The report highlights the continued expansion of the industry across the UK.

As self-storage becomes increasingly recognised as a mainstream asset class, investor confidence remains strong. New facilities are opening across both urban and regional markets, creating additional capacity and increasing customer choice.

For operators, this means competition is becoming more localised.

Customers today often have multiple storage options within a short distance of one another. As a result, facility quality, customer service, online visibility and operational efficiency are becoming increasingly important differentiators.

The era when location alone guaranteed success is gradually disappearing.

The Container Revolution Shows No Sign of Slowing

One of the standout themes from this year's report is the continued growth of container storage.

Lower capital requirements, faster deployment times and operational flexibility are making container facilities an attractive option for both new entrants and existing operators looking to expand.

This trend is particularly visible in suburban and rural locations, where traditional purpose-built facilities may be harder to justify financially.

Container storage has created opportunities to serve markets that may previously have been overlooked, helping to increase access to storage across the country.

While purpose-built facilities remain the gold standard in many urban locations, container storage is clearly becoming an increasingly important part of the industry's future.

Public Awareness Has Finally Improved

For over a decade, public awareness of self-storage remained largely unchanged.

That changed in 2025.

The report found that good awareness of self-storage increased from 48.1% to 52.6%, marking the first meaningful improvement in awareness for many years.

This may not sound dramatic, but it represents a significant milestone for the industry.

Greater awareness means more consumers understand what self-storage is, how it works and when it can be useful. This reduces one of the traditional barriers to customer acquisition and creates opportunities for operators to reach entirely new audiences.

For an industry that has historically relied heavily on customers discovering storage only when they need it, increased awareness is a positive development.

Customer Demographics Are Changing

Another fascinating trend highlighted in the report is the ageing customer base.

The largest customer age group is now 55-64, accounting for 31% of all customers.

This represents a shift from previous years, where the dominant customer demographic was typically younger.

There are several potential reasons behind this trend.

An ageing population, increased levels of downsizing, inheritance-related storage requirements and lifestyle changes may all be contributing factors. At the same time, older customers often have greater levels of accumulated possessions and may require storage during major life transitions.

For operators, understanding these demographic shifts will be increasingly important when developing marketing strategies and customer experiences.

Artificial Intelligence Is Moving into the Mainstream

Perhaps the most striking statistic in the report relates to artificial intelligence.

In 2024, just 13% of operators reported using AI for content creation or image generation.

In 2025, that figure jumped to 43%.

The report also found growing use of AI for competitor pricing analysis, customer service chatbots, business intelligence and site identification.

While self-storage has traditionally been seen as a property-led industry, technology is becoming an increasingly important part of day-to-day operations.

The rapid adoption of AI suggests operators are actively looking for ways to improve efficiency, reduce administrative workloads and make better business decisions.

As these tools continue to develop, AI is likely to become a standard part of the operating toolkit for many self-storage businesses.

Housing Activity Continues to Drive Demand

The connection between the housing market and self-storage remains as strong as ever.

According to the report, 27% of domestic customers cite moving house as their primary reason for storing.

This means broader housing market trends continue to have a direct impact on storage demand.

Despite economic uncertainty, residential transactions remained relatively stable throughout 2025, while house prices continued to rise. At the same time, changes within the private rented sector and the ongoing Renters' Reform agenda are expected to influence customer behaviour in the years ahead.

For operators, monitoring housing market activity remains just as important as monitoring storage market trends.

Looking Ahead

The 2026 report presents a picture of an industry entering a new phase of maturity.

Occupancy is stabilising. Revenue growth is becoming harder won. Competition is increasing. Technology is reshaping operations. Customer demographics are evolving.

Yet despite these changes, the underlying fundamentals remain strong.

Public awareness is improving, investment continues, demand remains resilient and new opportunities are emerging across both traditional and container-based storage models.

For operators, the challenge moving forward will be balancing growth with efficiency, maintaining strong occupancy levels while protecting revenue, and continuing to adapt to changing customer expectations.

The industry may look different to the one we knew five years ago, but the long-term outlook for self-storage remains highly positive.

Final Thought

The self-storage industry has changed significantly over the past few decades, and the latest report suggests that pace of change is only going to continue.

Having worked in the industry for almost 50 years, we've seen first-hand how operators have adapted to new technologies, changing customer expectations, and evolving market conditions. While the challenges may change, one thing remains consistent: facilities built with quality, efficiency and the customer experience in mind are best placed for long-term success.

Whether you're planning your first facility or your next expansion, our team is always happy to share advice and help operators navigate the opportunities ahead.

If you'd like to discuss an upcoming project, get in touch with the USS team. We'd love to hear about your plans.